Search History - Is there a new planning?

[Stamimail]

IMHO, this feature is not implemented well, since it's hiding the results.

I think it would be better, if History List will be moved and displayed a little to the right, so that:

After typing in Search Box:
RightArrow would lead to the History List.
DownArrow will lead to the Results List.

[Stamimail]

Same problem in 705b.

[Stamimail]

Suggestions for solution...
As I wrote before, I thought about that the Search History List will be moved/indent a little to the right, so that it won't cover the Name column. You can cut it to half of what it is now.
Another solution is the transparency of the white background...
But, the best solution I think, is to set how long it will be displayed. The user will be able to set the time how long to display this list till it will be disapear, so that each letter he typing, the list would appear for 0.5 second, for example.
In this way we get: After typing in Search Box:
DownArrow would lead to the History List. When dispalyed.
DownArrow will lead to the Results List. When History List disappear after the 0.5 second.

[void]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll review the search history list placement, transparency, auto hide and focus from key presses.

[Stamimail]

Suggestion for "Always show search suggestions"
Floating List

[Stamimail]

I found it was already mentioned, that the Search Histoty is not as expcted:
http://www.voidtools.com/forum/viewtopi ... 100#p11643

I agree with Specular, that this list should be in chronological order. Many times I'm looking for the search that I searched just recently. As I mentioned before I think it should be also History Button instead of the triangle.

As for the Seacrh Count order, would be better IMHO to put it in floating list as typing, as posted in the previous post.
I'm not familiar with Visual Studio, but I think I saw similair idea there, Drop-Down list as typing.

[rseiler]

I agree with Specular, that this list should be in chronological order. Many times I'm looking for the search that I searched just recently. As I mentioned before I think it should be also History Button instead of the triangle.

This just registered with me today--that the most recent isn't on top. I guess it's sorted by total searches.

Perhaps it should be an option, since we all probably won't agree, but newest on top makes complete sense to me.

[Stamimail]

since we all probably won't agree

I think I didn't understand you correctly.
Why don't you agree with the suggestion to move Most Searched to Floating List, and to replace the current list order with last Searched order.
When the search edit is blank, and you press on the triangle button, What are you generally look for?

[rseiler]

Last Searched makes sense to me, but I was just thinking of those who'd prefer Most Frequently Searched (i.e. the way it is now).

[Stamimail]

We should let them speak and explain why they would prefer to use this method rather than Bookmarks. If a user has a Frequently Search he should save it in Bookmarks, why to use this drop-down list.
Please explain also why do you think Most Frequently Searched should be the Default option?

[gdv]

I found it was already mentioned, that the Search Histoty is not as expcted:
http://www.voidtools.com/forum/viewtopi ... 100#p11643

I agree with Specular, that this list should be in chronological order. Many times I'm looking for the search that I searched just recently.

Last Searched makes sense to me, but I was just thinking of those who'd prefer Most Frequently Searched (i.e. the way it is now).

For a long time I, too, have wanted recent-first (i.e., Last Searched/reverse chronological) Search Suggestions and drop-down Search History (via clicking on the triangle dropdown button).

FYI, this now appears to be available as of v1.4.0.713b (Nov. 24, 2015). Specifically, both can now be sorted alphabetically or recent-first (instead of the default sort by search count) by manually editing the default value for the "search_history_sort_results=1" line (new in v1.4.0.713b) in Everything.ini as follows (exit Everything before editing the Everything.ini file):

search_history_sort_results=0 (alphabetical)
search_history_sort_results=1 (search count) (default)
search_history_sort_results=2 (recent first)

AFAICT, this doesn't yet seem to be documented anywhere (even in the changelog or forum), but I'm really glad to see it. (Thanks, David!!! )

(It would be nice to have the setting included on the Options GUI so it could be changed on the fly. I guess it would go on the Options > History tab below "Always show search suggestions.")

[rseiler]

Great find, gdv! I often forget about that file (not everything in Everything can go in the UI, though I think that one can).

There have been other gems too, like "hide_on_close=1", which will retain your last search results in the Everything window instead of clearing it every time.

[gdv]

There have been other gems too, like "hide_on_close=1", which will retain your last search results in the Everything window instead of clearing it every time.

Oh, NICE! I didn't know (or had forgotten?) about the current window searches being Back/Forward navigable (via Alt+LeftArrow/Alt+RightArrow) until I read about it here yesterday, so this is nice additional setting. (Essentially this setting makes Close = Minimize to System Tray, so window Forward/Back history is preserved the same way it would be if the window is minimized to the Task Bar.)

I couldn't get this to work at first, but I've figured out it only works if "Create a new window from the system tray" is not selected on the Options > UI tab (i.e., allow_multiple_windows_from_tray=0 in Everything.ini).

I always select "Create a new window from the system tray" (i.e., allow_multiple_windows_from_tray=1 in Everything.ini) so I can open more than one Everything window when needed. So to preserve window Forward/Back history in each Everything window, I have to use Minimize to Task Bar. (I guess the only way hide_on_close=1 would work for me with multiple Everything windows would be if each window was separately minimized to the System Tray upon Close. It seems I've seen a few other applications that work that way, but I can't recall any at the moment.)

(not everything in Everything can go in the UI, though I think that one can)

I agree. I'm not a programmer, but in my ignorance, this seems easily doable to me. The "search_history_sort_results=" setting is new as of the most recent beta (v1.4.0.713b) and I only discovered it after several hours of searching the forum (and changelog) and tinkering with the 4 most recent beta versions. Part of what helped me figure it out is another recent Everything.ini setting (search_history_sort=) which uses the same 0,1,2 options for alphabetical(0), count(1), & recent(2) column sorts in the new Organize Search History UI (Ctrl+Shift+H), but this setting can be changed easily from the UI simply by clicking on the preferred column header to sort by Search (i.e., alphabetical), Search Count, or Last Search Date). For purposes of the Organize Search History UI, I would say this ability to change the column sort on the fly from within the UI is absolutely essential.

For the Search Suggestions, changing the sort from within the UI is probably not as essential, but it seems (to me) the option would be fairly easy to add. As non-programmer I know it is easy to underestimate what is involved in fixing a bug or implementing a feature, but it seems like this is probably just a matter of deciding how to best implement the Search Suggestion sort in the UI, and it could probably be added fairly easily. (It could go on the Options > History tab as I previously suggested, or it could be on the View menu, or it could be a 3-way toggle button on the main Everything window, or...) I don't personally think I would change it very often, but it would be nice to be able to do so without having to exit Everything and manually editing Everythng.ini.

BTW, IMO, a better name for the above INI variables might be something like "search_history_suggestion_sort=" and "search_history_column_sort=", but if they are incorporated into the UI, the name will hardly matter to the vast majority of users.

[Stamimail]

Implementation of Floating List as mention above would be also good as a Drop List for filling functions etc.

[void]

Thanks for the suggestion.

Auto suggest improvements are on my TODO list, I would like to make Everything auto complete paths, sizes and help with date selection too.

[Stamimail]

870b
I'm not sure the current solution (one line display) is good for Search History.
But it seems as a good alternative solution for what I suggested here:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5264

- to know where is the Enter in Search Edit going to be landed in Results.

(This one line box will display what foldername/filename is on the target of hitting Enter).

[Stamimail]

(This one line box will display what foldername/filename is on the target of hitting Enter).

Needs try and error to see what's better, just the Name or the FullPath.